1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a child restraint system and, more particularly, to an improved system which includes a child seat for receiving a child, a base adapted to pivotably receive the child seat, and mechanisms for effecting the selective pivotable positioning of the seat with respect to the base.
2. Description of the Background Art
The safety of children in moving cars is a continuing concern to parents. Such concern is also shared by governments where safety laws are being passed in increasing numbers of jurisdictions. Because of parental concern and government involvement, there has been a large number of technical advances relating to child restraint systems for cars. Such advances are normally directed to increased safety but must be balanced against convenience of use and comfort of the child. If a restraint system is inconvenient to the parent or uncomfortable for the child, there will be a greater tendency to avoid usage regardless of the inherent safety of the system.
Commercially available devices and the background art disclose a wide variety of child restraint systems for use in cars. As a general rule, it seems that the safest devices are the ones which are more uncomfortable to the child user and more complex for the parent to use. Additionally, high cost tends to negate wide usage of restraint systems by reducing the number of initial purchases while uncomfortable or complex mechanisms can also tend to discourage usage. Conversely, more comfortable or convenient restraint systems which are less expensive provide the maximum usage and safety.
A large number of child restraint systems are in commercial use while others are described in the patent literature By way of example note U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,975,050 to 4,561,621 to Hill, and 4,632,456 to Kassai. The McKee patent relates to a mechanism for coupling a tilting swivel chair and its support for adjusting the seating of a vehicle driver and/or passenger for increased comfort. The support can swivel the seat and angularly orient it into one of a plurality of positions. The Hill patent relates to an earth-working vehicle wherein the seat is adjustably spring-biased at its back with an adjustable break mechanism at its front, all for user comfort. The Kassai patent relates to a children's automobile-mounted safety seat. The seat includes a seat portion and a base with the seat rotatably supported on the base.
None of the known commercial devices or prior patents discloses a child car seat coupled with respect to a base with adjustable attachments therebetween, with the adjustment mechanisms on the base out of reach of the supported child. Although many such prior advances are noteworthy to one extent or another, no background patent or known commercial device teaches or suggests the safe, convenient, reliable, and economic child restraint system as disclosed herein.
As illustrated by a great number of prior patent disclosures and commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to more efficiently design, manufacture and utilize child car seats. No prior effort, however, suggests the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein. Prior devices do not provide the benefits attendant with the present invention. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, through the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and through the utilization of only readily available materials and conventional components.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a restraining system for a child comprising in combination a child seat having a foot end and a head end and side edges therebetween, the seat having downwardly extending projections with aligned apertures; a base having a front end and a back end and side edges therebetween, the base having upwardly extending projections with aligned apertures; a cylindrical pivot shaft located within the apertures of the seat and base to allow the pivoting of the seat with respect to the base; a latch rod pivotally secured to the base with a latch mounted adjacent to each end thereof, each latch having a plurality of recesses adapted to receive pins of the seat to thereby secure the seat in any one of a plurality of angular positions; and spring means to hold the recesses in contact with the pins.
It is another object of the invention to improve the safety of children riding in cars.
It is another object of the invention to adjustably couple a child car seat to a base which is, in turn, attachable to a car by a seat belt.
It is another object of the invention to increase the convenience and comfort of a child in a restraint system of a car.
It is another object of the invention to latch a pivotable seat with respect to a base with mechanisms to preclude separation in the event of a crash.
Lastly it is an object of the present invention to promote the usage of child restraint systems in cars by maximizing safety, comfort and convenience.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.